A Pokémon Valentine
by oxEmmaxo
Summary: A collection of Pokémon-themed stories written for Valentine's Day. There isn't enough for it to be a collection, but I plan to post more next year.


Ash x Misty: Seeing You Again**  
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* * *

_Misty is alone at the Cerulean Gym on Valentine's Day. When Ash takes a break from his Unova journey to visit her, will something happen?_

* * *

Misty sighed as she watched her sisters leave through the massive double doors of the Cerulean City Gym. This Valentine's Day, they all had dates - Daisy was with Tracey, and Lily and Violet had just picked the two 'best' guys out of all their fans. Misty was the only Sensational Sister without a date. Misty had thought that maybe Georgio, at least, would have asked her out, but he was apparently busy with Casey. And she was happy for them, for all of them, but she couldn't help feeling a little sad that the one person she wanted to spend the day with was so far away.

She sighed again._ I should stop being so gloomy_, she thought to herself, and she cheered up a little. _He's probably just too dumb to realise that he wants to see me_. She grinned.

"Okay! I'm not going to let this get me down. I don't need a date!" she cried, beaming, as she went to her room to change into her swimsuit. "I'll spend today with the Pokémon instead!"

When she was finished putting on her bikini, red with bright blue bubbles, she was about to leave when she noticed the framed photograph on her bedside table. It was a photo of herself, holding Togepi, with Brock, Tracey, and...Ash. She thought about how much she missed them. She didn't really miss Tracey much, because she saw him a lot. She _really_ missed Brock, and especially Togepi - or, rather, _Togetic_ - but the one she missed the most was Ash. He was always travelling to some new region, further and further away from her, and whenever she heard from him he had more friends. Yes, she was happy for Ash, and she liked all of his new friends, but it hurt a little that she was so easily replaced, that other girls could be just as important to him as she was.

_Am I jealous?_ she questioned, the grin disappearing from her face. She thought for a moment. _Maybe. But I'm not going to be like that. I'm not going to be jealous and mean. I'm going to support Ash, no matter what, and that's that._ She looked around and smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to think about him right now," she said aloud. "It's time to play with the Pokémon!"

She left the room and walked to the pool, grabbing a towel along the way.

"Come on, guys, let's play!" she called, and all the Pokémon in the aquarium swam happily through to the pool area. Misty's own Pokémon - Staryu, Starmie, Horsea, Goldeen, Corsola, Politoed, Caserin, and Gyarados all surfaced and greeted her happily. All of her Pokémon except Azurill, who was already in the pool using its tail as a float, and of course, Psyduck, who just then waddled in through the door to the Gym, heading toward the already-inflated pool ring.

"Psyduck," Misty said, "come here and I'll teach you how to swim." This only caused Psyduck to waddle faster toward the ring, and though Misty tried to reach the little duck Pokémon in time to stop it, Psyduck managed to quickly slide the ring over its head and down to its midsection and make a dive for the pool. Unfortunately for Psyduck, in its eagerness to reach the pool it forgot to slow down and step into the water. Instead, it flew toward the pool and landed in the water headfirst, flailing its arms and legs and crying out, until the pool ring came into effect and righted Psyduck's position. Its head now above the water, it sighed in relief while Misty, who had been watching on, slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Or not," she sighed in frustration. "You stupid duck!" she scolded the Pokémon, who responded with a sad 'Psy' and sulked as it bobbed up and down on the water. Misty shook her head in disbelief and climbed up the ladder to the diving board, preparing to dive. She moved into position and leaped off the board, landing perfectly in the water, surrounded by all of her own Pokémon and those from the Gym - Caserin (though it was actually Misty's Pokémon, it was always by Luverin's side, so it wasn't usually a part of her team), Luverin, Dewgong, Seel, Seaking, a few Goldeen, and a few Shellder.

Misty drew back her hands in the water and pushed them forward, sending a big wave of water splashing over the Pokémon. Aside from Psyduck, none of them seemed phased, and they all promptly began launching waves of their own at the red-haired girl. She and the Pokémon continued this for some time, until they were all worn out. It was then that Misty went back up to her room to change. She had just removed her bikini top when it happened.

"Hey, Misty! You in here?" a familiar voice called, as the door began to open. Ash! She managed to wrap her discarded towel back around herself just before her bedroom door opened and Ash's face appeared. Ash looked happy to see her, oblivious as always to any awkward situation. But at that moment, Misty wasn't happy to see him. She reached out to her bedside table and grabbed the first thing she found - the same framed photograph from before - and proceeded to hit the unsuspecting boy standing in the doorway.

"Ow!" Ash cried out, as the corner of the frame struck his arm. "What was that for?!"

"For barging into my room while I'm undressing!" she replied angrily, letting the photo fall to the floor as she struck him again, this time with her fist. Instead of complaining again, Ash looked embarrassed as he realised the situation he was in, his face turning bright red.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he said, panicked, as he turned his face away and covered his eyes with his hands. "I didn't realise! I'm really sorry!"

"Just let me change, okay?" she said, and shut the door in his face. It occurred to her that she might have been a bit too harsh, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Besides, he should have knocked first anyway.

Misty quickly changed into her usual outfit: a sleeveless yellow top with a large blue button on the front and a blue collar, along with matching shorts, over a dark red under-all, completed with a pair of orange boots. She tied her orange hair up in its usual side ponytail, and opened the door. Ash was standing in the hallway, holding the photo she had dropped. _It must have fallen just outside the door_, she thought, moving to join Ash in looking at the photo. He realised she was there, then, and turned to face her.

"You still have this picture?" he said, holding it out for her to take.

"Yeah…" she replied, smiling, "it's a nice picture."

"You're right, it is," he answered, smiling back at her.

"I'm always right, Ash." She flashed a mischievous grin. He opened his mouth, ready to protest, but then suddenly he laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" she demanded, ready to hit him again if his answer was stupid.

"You haven't changed a bit, Misty!" She paused for a moment, then she smiled widely. "Neither have you, Ash."

They stood there for a moment, smiling at each other, until Misty remembered something important that she'd completely forgotten about until now.

"Hey, Ash," she began, "what are you doing here, anyway?"

"Well, it's a long story."

They were now seated on a small sofa in the Gym's aquarium, and Ash was explaining why he was here.

"Brock called me," he said.

"What?" she replied, confused.

"He said I should come here today - that it had to be today. I don't know why. It's a long way to get here from Unova. He actually sent me money for a ticket for the Royal Unova. I don't see why I couldn't have just come when I was finished competing in the Unova League," he said, and it was his turn to be confused. Misty, on the other hand, was starting to blush. Of all people, Brock was definitely the most likely to know about Misty's feelings. But she wished he hadn't sent Ash here.

After a moment, Ash said, "Oh, I forgot! He told me to give you a rose, too," he said, digging through his backpack. He produced a beautiful red rose and handed it to her. " Wonder what it means?"

If Misty wasn't blushing before, she certainly was now. Her hand trembled as she took the rose, her face burning. She turned away from Ash, staring intently down at the rose in her hands.

She knew that his coming here on Valentine's Day and giving her a rose was Brock's doing, but she couldn't help wondering if she should tell him how she felt. It was the perfect moment, better than she could have ever planned, but she still wasn't sure.

She stroked the rose petals lightly with her fingertip, considering. After today, Ash would leave and she wouldn't see him again for a long time. She knew that. She would be stuck thinking about him every day, wondering if he felt the same. If she would ever find love.

Misty closed her eyes for a moment. And if she didn't tell him now, she would spend the rest of her life wondering what might have happened. If she could have ended up with Ash on Valentine's Day. She didn't want to ruin their friendship - it was one of the most important things to her - but she didn't want it to stay like this, either. Her hidden feelings were driving her insane, and she wanted to let them out.

"Misty?" Ash spoke her name, and she realised that she'd been zoned out for a while. She turned to look at him, and saw that he was looking at her, his face calm and almost serious-looking. She decided, then, that she would tell him, right then and there. _It's now or never_, she thought silently, as she cleared her throat softly.

"Ash," she said quietly, lowering her gaze once more to the delicate rose in her hands. "I have something to tell you." She was nervous, more nervous than she had ever been in her life, and she knew it showed. Her voice was shaky and her hands were trembling, and a soft blush was spreading lightly on her cheeks.

"What is it, Misty?" There it was, the moment of truth. Her last chance to back out, to make up some random thing to tell him and pretend the whole thing never happened. It would definitely be a lot easier…

No, she told herself firmly, I have to tell him, right now.

"Ash, I...I…" she hesitated. "Ash, _I like you_!"

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Misty was blushing furiously now. _Maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut_! She was already regretting her words, and she stared once more at the rose, her face matching its colour perfectly. _I shouldn't have said that. I_- Her thoughts were interrupted when Ash finally spoke.

"I like you too, Misty," he replied, and her heart skipped a beat. She'd only ever dreamed of hearing those words, and now she'd finally heard them for real.

"Really?!" she exclaimed, disbelieving.

"Of course I do," he said, and Misty sighed in relief. "You're my best friend!" She fell off the chair when she heard this, and it was only an instant before her anger flared up.

"Ash Ketchum!" she yelled, getting to her feet. "How stupid are you?! That's not what I meant!" He looked stunned as Misty screamed the words at him. "I'm in love with you, idiot!"

Misty collapsed into her seat, covering her mouth with both hands. How could she have been so stupid? What a mistake it was, to have told him that!

She snuck a glance at Ash. He was staring at her, mouth open, and she quickly looked away. Now she'd done it! She'd ruined their friendship forever, and she'd never be able to see him again without it being awkward.

_I have to get out of here_. She rose abruptly from her seat, making a dash for her room. "Oh, ah, forget I said anything!" she called back to Ash, not looking back at him. "Maybe you should go, you probably have stuff to do. And I-" She stopped, both her footsteps and her speech coming to a halt, as she felt a hand clasp hers firmly.

"Misty, wait, don't go!" he said, and Misty, shocked at the sudden feel of his hand in hers, let him lead her gently back to the sofa.

"Misty…" he said again, nervously, once they were seated, "I think...that I like you too. That I might be...in love with you. I've never really thought about it before…" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He really did feel the same!

"Oh, Ash, I can't believe it!"

They looked at each other, both of them grinning widely, and stayed that was for a long moment. Then a thought occurred to Misty, and she was suddenly nervous again. But she had to say it.

"So, Ash...if we both like each other, then shouldn't we...you know…?" She looked meaningfully at his lips, hoping he would get the message. She should have known better.

"Shouldn't we what?" Ash said, a look of confusion on his face. His obliviousness was enough to make her angry again.

"_Kiss_, you moron!" she yelled, and pressed her lips firmly against his. She could feel his shock, but she didn't stop the kiss. It was what she had longed for, and the feel of his lips on hers was making her lightheaded. She was nervous and excited and in a wonderful state of bliss all at the same time, and she couldn't pull away even if she wanted to.

And then he was returning her kiss, and her lips tingled with excitement and all she could taste was his lips, and now that her wish had finally come true, everything was right with the world. The day hadn't started off well at all, but at that moment Misty knew that this was not only the best Valentine's Day she'd ever had, but the best day of her life. And she also knew that nothing in the future could ever be more amazing, more magical than that moment.

She smiled against his lips as the two of them melted into each other, enjoying the moment, knowing that it would be the best of both of their lives. _I love you, Ash Ketchum_.


End file.
